Draft-gear.



G. WESTINGHOUSE.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED APRJZ. 190s.

Att'y.

fall

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

G. WESTINGHOUSE.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION TILED APR.12,1906.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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G. WESTINGHOUSE.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLIGA'LION IILB1JAIR.12, mos

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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-G. WESTINGHOUSE.

DRAFT GEAR APPLICATION FILED APR.12,1906,

1,120,005. Patented Bea-8,1914.

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WITNESSEE INVENTOH and the car,

' clamping the spring and an o srna n TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT- GEAR.

Application filed April 12, 1906. Serial No. 311,284.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTING- HOUSE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improve merits in Draft- Gear, of which the following is a specification.

lhis invention relates to railway draftappliances for cars and other rolling stock, and appertains more particularly to an automatic coupler head and a yielding resistance mechanism for connecting a coupler head to the draft timbers or frame-work of the car body or truck.

()ne of the principal objects of my invention is to provide an improved yielding resistance connection between the coupler head which mechanism will also be laterally flexible to permit a limited transverse or swinging movement of the coupler or draw bar. This feature of .my invention preferably comprises a' coiled spring mecha nism, one end of which is connected to the draw bar or coupler, while the other end, or another portion of said spring, is securely held by a connection to the car or frame work, whereby the d aft and buffing strains will subject the spring alternately to tension and compression, or vice-versa, and the end of the spring at which the draw ban or coupler is attached will be capable of a lunited lateral movement, due to the flexibility and elasticity of the spring.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide an improved and simple means for at taching the spring to the coupler head or draw bar or to the casing by forming a groove adapted to fit the spring, upon or in the part to'which the spring is to be attached and then screwing the coiled spring into the groove.

Another object is to provide an improved spring supporting casing adapted to be scoured to the draft timbers or framing of the car and having a split end portion for utwardly flaring portion for permitting a lateral bending movement of thefree end of the spring.

Another object is to provide yielding means for normally deflecting the coupler head slightly to one side of the center line of the cart for the purpose of insuring the proper engagement of the coupler heads Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

with each other to effect the automatic cou- I phng of cars upon a curved track.

AI10tll0l 0l)]0Ct is to increase the capacity of the spring gear by means of a friction spring having one or more coils mounted between adjacent coils of the draft spring and provided with frictional engaging surl'accs. ln th accon'uianying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal scctioirol? a spring draft gear embodying some of my improve nients; Fig. 2 a similar sectional view showmg a modification, in which friction springs are employed having coils located between adjacent coils of the draft spring; Fig. 3 a central horizontal section of the geauwith my un proved automatic coupler and tubular draw-bar; Fig. 4- a horizontal section of a modified construction in which the spring is secured in a trunnion pivoted in the fixed casing, and also showing a diii'erent form of connection between the spring and the coupler head; Fig. 5 a vertical section through the casing and trunnion, and showing a portion of the spring secured therein; Fig. 6 a transverse section through the casing, the trunnion bci g indicated in elevation; and Fig. 7 a horizontal section of a construction embodying features shown in .l igs. 2 and 4.

According to the construction shown in l ig. 1, the improved spring gear comprises a single helical spring securely supported at a central or internu diate portion bv abusing 11, which may be connected to the draft tim hers or members of the car or truclc frame, and forming thereby two spring sections, an outwardly extending section 10 and an inwardly extending section S). ()wing to the elasticity of the spring these ends of the spring sections have a certain lateral llexibility which permits a limited transverse movement of the coupler or end of the draw bar to which these spring sections may be connected in any desired manner.

According to tbc construction shown in Fig. 3, the draw bar it extends longitndinally through the coil of the spring and is provided at one end with a head 11, in which is formed a helical groove 18. adapted to (it the pitch ot' the spring and to be screwed into the end of the outer helical spring section. while a block 15. provided with a similar groove. is mounted on the inncr end oi the drawbar. in a similar man-- ner, the block 115 is a'rcwcd into the inner end, of the helical. spring section 9 and is firmly held against the shoulder 17 on the bar 16 by means of a washer 19 and nuts 20. .ln this way the draw-bar 1S securely attached. to the opposite ends of the helical spring sections by a simple and durable fflCGlliiQ'lfQO'i a helical groove, into which the spring is adapted to be screwed, and bolts 12 for clamping the same whcnproperly adjusted." The casing also has an outwardly fla ling portion surrounding the spring sectibn for permitting a certain lateral play tr the coupler, and may also be provided with 22, as indicated in Fig. 3, for sccui the same to the car frame.

ill: shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a standard Master Car Builders coupler head 21 may be attached in any suitable manner to the drawbar. It will now be seen that considera'ble flexibility of action maybe obtained with this form of construction, since the coupler is flexibly supported. at the free ends of the spring sections and may be deflected by pressure either vertically or laterally throughout a limited range of movement. Either draft or bu'liing strains will be transmitted through both sections of the spring, subjecting one section to compression and the other section to tension, thereby securing double sp ll'lg capacity. flois spring capacity may be increased, ii desired, by the addition. of friction springs 23 and 2%, as shown in Fig. 2, the coils of which are mounted between the coils of the draft spring sections 10 and 9, and are provided with frictional surfaces adapted to engage the surfaces of the coils of the draft spring when the latter subject to compression.

According to the construction shown in Fig. 3, the spring gear is substantially the same that shown in Fig. 1, except that the drawbar is tubula having a passage 25 extending thercthrough and connected at its outer end to my improved form of automatic coupler head 30, which is covered in my oivisional application hereinafter referred to, having a registering passage 84 leading to the gasket opening 33 in the face of the coupler for coupling a fluid pressure conduit, such as a compressed air line, through the train, a hose 2 6 being connected the inner end of the draw-bar.

The automatic coupler head is'similar in some respects to that covered by my prior patent, No. 708,7d7, of Sept. 9, 1902, comprising a forward projecting portion 31 on one side and a recessed portion on the other side'adapted to engage a corresponding recess and projection of a counterpart couplingon anadjacent car when the two are coupled together, the longitudinal face of the coupling being provided with vertical ribs 35 having inclined sides for locking against corresponding ribs on the other half of the coupler. A latch or looking lever 38 is pivoted on a vertical shaft 37and isnormally pressed outward by a spring 39 for engaging a suitable bearing surface on the outer side of the projecting portion 31 of a counterpart coupler after: the vertical rib portions 35 have slipped past each other and thereby firmly lock the two coupler heads together, all as fully set forth in my prior patent above referred to.

The head 14 of the draw-bar may be screwed into the shank of the coupler head, as shown in Fig". 3, and in order to provide a tight joint for the fluid pressure conduit at this point a gasket 2'? may be mounted in the head of the bar and bear against the coupler around the opening of passage 34: when the parts are tightly screwed together and clamped by suitable means, such as a set screw 40. A ring 41 may be forced onto the shank of the coupler to prevent any tendency of the threaded parts of the coupler to spread at this point.

Referring again to Fig. 3, it will be noticed that the coiled springsections 9 and 10 are so arranged in the fixed casing that the axis of thespring and coupler head, in-

dicated by the dotted line -50, makes an angle with the center line ofthe car, indicated by the dotted line y z so that the coupler head is normally deflected a slight distance to one side of the center line of the car. This is for the purpose of facilitating the coupling of cars upon. a curved track and to insure'the engagement of the pointed projectionitl of one coupler head with the counterpart coupler head on the gathering hood side of its corresponding projection. If the coupler heads were normally located on the center lines of the cars,

, it might happen that in an attempt to couple cars together on a curved'track the project ing portions 31 of two coupler heads would engage each other upon their outer sides and thus fail to couple together automatically, but this cannot occur where the coupler heads are normally deflected sufliciently to one side of the center line, as illustrated in the drawing. After the two members are coupled together, and the draft stresses are applied the springs readily flex laterally, so that the axis and line of draft then coincide with the center line of the car.

If it should be desired to employ a very light resistance spring for vnormally deflecting the cou pler laterally, a structure such as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6'may be used, in which the draft spring is mounted in a trunnlon piece 51, which is pivotally secured in the fixed casing 11. According to this construction the casing is formed in two parts adapted to be secured. together by belts in flanges 22' and the trunnion 51 is mounted tohave a slight turning movement upon a vertical pivot in said casing. After the s ring is screwed into the trunnion, it may e rigidly held therein by a clamping piece 52 and set screw 53. A light spring 54lbears upon the side of thetrunnion and normally deflects the coupler head to one side, as indicated by the angle between the dotted lines m-m and g y.

When the members are coupled together and draft stresses applied, the light resistance spring 54 readily yields, so that the line of draft coincides with the center line of the car. i

In Fig. 4 I have also shown a modified form of connection between the .i "aft spring and coupler-mead. The rear end or shank of the two members-or halves 28 and 29 of the coupler is provided with a recess for receiving a flange 57 on 'the end of. the tubular bar 16, and has slightly tapered.- end 55 on which is formed a substantially helical groove for receiving the slightly flared end of the coiled spring 10. In this Way, the end coils of the spring also serve as means as holding the two parts 28 and 29 of the coupler securely clamped together over the flanged end of the tubular bar 16.

While I have herein fully described and shown certain features of my im rovements relating'to a combined train airlirake pipe and car couplin mechanism, this is not expressly clalmc inthis application since the same forms the subject matter of a divisional application, Serial No. 434,450,

filed May 23, 190B.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecureby Letters Patent, is i 1. A draft gear comprising a helical spring formed of an outwardl extending section and an inwardly extcnr ing section, a .casing securely holding the spring at a point between said sections and connected to the car frame, and a draw-bar extending through the coil and connected to the free ends of the spring sections.

2. A draft gear comprising a helical spring, a flaring casing connected to the car frame and having a split end for clamping the spring, and a draw bar connected to a free end of said spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

eEo. WESTINGHOUSE.

Witnesses:

R. F. Emmy, J; B. MACDO ALD. 

